The Great Place to Work Institute and its international affiliates publish an annual report on — you guessed it — great places to work. It includes 15 countries in Europe, nine countries in Latin America, three countries in Asia and Canada.

The original Great Place to Work in California compiles Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For^® in America.

How companies are chosen

The process of selection starts when a company voluntarily submits an application for candidacy, and allows a team of screened evaluators to collect employee opinions about trust and quality, perform audits and gather media information, and review company-submitted materials. Therefore, the ranking does not reflect a competition between all possible companies.

Also be aware that evaluators were only allowed to report positive aspects, which means the survey is not comprehensive.

Best Places to Work - Countries

The remainder of this article will concentrate on Greece, however you are free to click on any of the other countries below in which a link to the English version is provided.

Europe: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom

Latin America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

Asia: India, Japan, Korea

North America: USA and Canada

“Best” job

The term “best” is subjective and highly specific to an individual, based on his/her background, needs, goals and values. There isn’t one profession or one company offering “the best job,” just as there isn’t a single method to finding the highest paying job. If there was, don’t you think we’d all work there?

The best job is one that suits the qualifications (experience and skills), interests and enthusiasm of the person concerned. Natural talent also plays a part, since a person with a university degree and interest in public relations may actually have poor oral and written communication skills.

In Greece, jobs with the highest salary are likely those secured with connections and not found on the Internet.

Essential info about Greek companies and jobs

Nearly all of these companies request candidates with bilingual capability, fulfillment of military obligations (if male) and a requirement that he/she be aged 35 or younger. For those unfamiliar with Greece, discrimination based on age, gender and nationality is common practice and one that typically goes unpunished.

It is also common for many Greek companies to not have job listings and not disclose the names, e-mail addresses and other contact information of employees, including the company manager or HR. There is never an employee directory.

If you are a non-EU citizen looking at this post from outside Greece with hopes that one of these (American) companies will sponsor your work visa and work permit, these privately owned subsidiaries have little or no contact with headquarters back home, and securing visas and permits for a non-EU citizen is done rarely unless you are highly specialized and/or have a connection. It is recommended you read, “How Americans/non-EU citizens can move, live and work in Greece.” Why? Because it’s of vital importance to understand the legalities of visas and permits before looking for a job.

There is a surplus of qualified candidates already in Greece and the entire EU, who can fill these positions with no bureaucracy. Many from outside Greece are also at a disadvantage, since working knowledge of local business culture is essential to successfully capturing the Greek market, which IS the company’s goal. See “Common myths vs. reality about working in Greece” for more details.

How to use this list

All company names are in CAPS and contain the link to their home page. If Web sites were only in Greek, I provided a translation of contact information in English, in addition to the career/job section link if the company had one.

I do not represent nor have I ever worked for any of these companies, so specific questions or complaints should be directed at respective personnel.

Καλη δουλεια!

Top 20

1. PISCINES IDEALES
Size: 127 employees
Industry: Construction/contractors of swimming pools
Ownership: Private
Career section: www.piscinesideales.gr
Notes: No English; lists jobs, but you must navigate in Greek to Etairia →Kariera

Davaki 18
15121 Pefki
Phone: (210) 6148.400
Fax: (210) 6142.308
E-mail: info@piscinesideales.gr

2. MICROSOFT HELLAS
Size: 95 employees
Industry: Information Technology
Ownership: Private
Career section: www.microsoft.com/hellas/
Notes: No English; navigation in Greek but job listings in English

Kifissias 221
15124 Marousi
Phone: 801 500 3000 or 211 1206 500
E-mail: msgrhr@microsoft.com

3. PROCTER & GAMBLE HELLAS
Size: 286 employees
Industry: Healthcare
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.pg.com

4. GENESIS PHARMA
Size: 164 employees
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Ownership: Private
Career section: www.genesispharma.com

5. CADBURY HELLAS
Size: 204 employees
Industry: Food products
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.cadbury.gr
Notes: No English

Marinou Antypa 41-45
141 21 Irakleio
Athens
Phone: (210) 270-4000
E-mail: recruiting.greece@csplc.com

6. AION
Size: 55 employees
Industry: Retail Carpets
Ownership: Private
Notes: Has English page, but no career section

7. KRAFT FOODS HELLAS
Size: 286 employees
Industry: Food products
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.kraftfoods.gr
Notes: No English; no job listings, applicants must send their CV (in Greek) to the e-mail address listed

F. Ginosati 19
144 52 Metamorfosi
Athens
Phone: (210) 288-9000
Fax: (210) 285-1430
E-mail: grkfhhr@krafteurope.com

8. EXODUS
Size: 112 employees
Industry: Information Technology
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.exodus.gr

9. BRISTOL-MYERS SQUIBB
Size: 195 employees
Industry: Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
Ownership: Private
Career section: www.bms-greece.gr
Notes: No English; has career section, but no listings

Athens
Attikis 49-53 & Propodidos 2
152 35 Vrilissia
Phone: (210) 6074 300, 6074 400
Fax: (210) 6074 333

Thessaloniki
19th km National Road, Neon Moudanion
570 01 Thermi
Phone: (23920) 21600
Fax: (23920) 21555

10. PRAKTIKER HELLAS
Size: 1416 employees
Industry: Retail Home Store
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.praktiker.gr
Notes: Has career section, but no listings; candidates are requested to send their CVs in Greek

11. HELLENIC AEROSPACE INDUSTRY (HAI)
Size: 2766 employees
Industry: Aerospace
Ownership: Government
Career section: None

12. MELLON COLLECTION SERVICES
Size: 276 employees
Industry: Financial Services & Insurance
Ownership: Private
Career section: www.mellongroup.com

13. UCB
Size: 133 employees
Industry: Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.ucb-group.com

14. TASTY FOODS
Size: 757 employees
Industry: Food products
Ownership: Private
Career Section: pepsi.newjobs.co.uk
Notes: No GR Web site

22nd Km Athinion-Lamias National Rd.
Agios Stefanos
Phone: (210) 629-8000/30
Fax: (210) 621 8100
E-mail: tasty.hr@intl.pepsico.com

15. AIG GREECE
Size: 141 employees
Industry: Financial Services and Insurance
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.aig-greece.gr
Notes: English version contains limited info; job listings in Greek only

16. ALDEMAR HOTELS & SPA
Size: 1290 employees
Industry: Hotel and Hospitality
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.aldemarhotels.com
Notes: Has career section, but listings

17. HEWLETT-PACKARD HELLAS
Size: 231 employees
Industry: Information Technology
Ownership: Private
Career Section: www.hp.gr
Notes: No English Web site, but career section link is in English

18. PIRAEUS DIRECT SERVICES
Size: 209 employees
Industry: Financial Services and Insurance
Ownership: Private
Career Section: Job Mini-site on skywalker.gr
Notes: No English, job listings in Greek

19. EAGLES PALACE HOTEL & SPA
Size: 83 employees
Industry: Hotel and Hospitality
Ownership: Private
Career Section: None, English Web site has contact info

20. HELLENIC FABRICS
Size: 453 employees
Industry: Textiles
Ownership: Private
Career Section: Submit your CV form
Notes: No listings, use link to submit your CV in Greek or send to: hrm@hellenicfabrics.gr

To see last year’s winners, see “Best places to work in Greece 2007.”

Finding a summer job in Greece has changed little in the past 10 years, but the job climate for illegal jobs has changed significantly with new laws, stepped up enforcement and the expansion of the EU. Anyone interested in working in a bar, cafe or club on a Greek island or even seaside on the mainland should read, “Summer jobs in Greece,” in addition to this FAQ.

Are there summer jobs in Greece for Americans?
Are there summer jobs in Greece for Canadians?
Are there summer jobs in Greece for Australians?
Are there summer jobs in Greece for _______ ?

In a word, ‘no.’ Jobs aren’t listed like that.

Have you ever seen a job in the USA or Canada advertised like this: “Jobs for Italians” or “Jobs for expats only.” I haven’t. So if you’re looking for a summer job in Greece, you are competing against everyone. Searching for “Jobs in Greece” is more accurate. (Use links in the 3rd column for that)

The only time I’ve seen nationality specified is when an employer wants Greek or EU citizens, and this is because they are seeking candidates with authorization to work in the EU. aka, They don’t want non-EU citizens. It might even be more subtle, such as: “British English native speakers only.”

Sometimes there are ads specifying, “Foreign women,” but this is usually because an employer is seeking women for gentlemen bars or cheap housekeepers, live-in child care, etc.

Specifying nationality in jobs ads is technically illegal.

Can an American find a summer job in Greece?
Can a Canadian find a summer job in Greece?
Can an Australian find a summer job in Greece?
Can a ____ (non-EU citizen) find a summer job in Greece?

Yes and no.

Yes, if you’re only looking for illegal work, low wages, working conditions that range from poor to mediocre, and don’t mind being fired or otherwise let go for any reason.

No, if you’re looking for legal work and a permit to stay in Greece.

Why is it considered illegal if I work for the summer in Greece as an American/Canadian/Australian/non-EU citizen?

Because all Americans, Canadians, Australians and other non-EU citizens in Greece with only a Schengen or national visa are not permitted to work legally. You can only work legally if you have a permit. See, “How Americans/non-EU citizens can live and work in Greece” if you are unfamiliar with visas and permits.

Why won’t an employer give me a permit to work in Greece?

In a nutshell, getting a Greek residence/work permit is an expensive and lengthy process taking several months that involves getting approval from authorities, issuing a work visa through the Greek Consulate in your homeland and putting up a huge deposit to hire you. It’s simply not worth all of that bureaucracy and expense for summer work, when there are plenty of other workers available who don’t need a permit.

It must also be proven that no Greek or EU citizen can fill this vacancy, and this is why you must be hired and given a permit. For bar work or casual summer jobs, there is no basis for authorities to approve this. Even for regular non-summer jobs in Greece, this rarely happens. I saw stats published in a Greek newspaper that showed no new permits were issued to Americans in 2007; there were only renewals.

Is it easy to get a summer job in Greece?

It was much easier to get a summer job 10 or even 2 years ago, than it is today. But it also depends on your qualifications, what you’re willing to accept and your definition of ‘easy.’ If you think a job is going to drop out of the sky without doing some work, then ‘no.’

Why is it harder now?

Several reasons:

a) The EU has expanded to include Eastern European nations. There are plenty of workers who are not only legal (need no permit), but are also willing to accept wages lower than most Americans, Canadians or Australians would. There are also a number of illegal workers from Asia and the Middle East who are working here for as little as 23 euros a day under deplorable conditions.

b) Fines for employers hiring illegal workers have increased and now include jail time. Thus, unless an employer is absolutely sure he/she won’t be caught or has connections or money to bribe officials, it’s simply not worth the risk.

c) A new law was passed in December 2007 requiring certain American and other non-EU citizens to provide proof of financial means when applying for a visa or when entering Greece. See, “Non-EU travelers to Greece need 50 euros a day.” This is an attempt to cut down on the number of Americans and Canadians who work illegally in Greece every summer and overstay their visa.

d) Enforcement has stepped up. In the past year, police checks are more frequent and I know a greater number of people who have lost their illegal jobs or simply weren’t hired and had to go home.

e) The Greek government is in favor of tightening borders and immigration. It’s no secret that Greece and France are cooperating to close borders.

f) It’s not as cheap to live in Greece as it used to be. A lot of people hear stories from relatives and friends who were here years ago when it was relatively inexpensive to live here, and how great it was to work on an island, go to the beach every day, go to work and party every night. You can still do that, it’s just more expensive and a lot of people find that it’s harder to make ends meet while salaries have increased little or not at all. Plus, if you overstay your visa, it will cost you between 600-1300 euros in fines — that’s more than most people earn in a month.

Where do I look for summer jobs in Greece?
How do I find a job in Greece?

Typically, you would search a number of classified ads and any normal methods you use, just as you would back home. There are a number of links in the 3rd column to get you started. The best ads are in Greek.

Preferably, you would show up in person on the island or location of interest and interview on the spot with an employer because quite honestly, he/she will want to see what you look like.

There’s no way to know exactly where to go because there might be a ton of jobs in one place this week, but by the time you get here next month, they might all be gone. That’s why it’s best to show up early in the season, not in June.

Are there a lot of summer job classified ads this year?

Like every year, there are a great number listed right now. But of the 1,000 ads I saw today, two were in English. They’re all in Greek and in Greek newspapers, which basically means they are all legal jobs for anyone who can speak Greek and has authorization/permit to work in Greece. This may reflect what I said earlier about the job climate being different due to laws, enforcement and fines. Maybe not, but nevertheless it’s a reality.

The two that were in the Greek newspaper in English wanted: Someone speaking both Greek and English to work in the center of Athens (presumably so the owner could escape to his village or island); and a girl for a pub that I know has a terrible reputation for not paying on time.

There were no ads in English-language newspapers for summer jobs; those don’t usually appear until later when employers become desperate and are in a position to attract equally desperate tourists getting low on funds.

Where can I find ads for illegal jobs?

Illegal jobs won’t be advertised in regular newspapers unless they want to be visited by police. Some employers post in unknown forums and see who comes to them, but I question the quality of these jobs.

Most employers with illegal jobs wait for candidates to come see them in person.

Should I post in a forum?

No.

Why not?

Because getting a summer job, or any job, requires that you apply for open vacancies offered by bars, cafes and hotels that are actually looking for people.

I doubt these employers have time to search forums for candidates, write down everyone’s name, address and phone number, then spend the time and money on an international call to give you a job. They figure if you want the job badly enough, you will take action and the initiative to contact them. If you don’t, there are plenty who will. Trust me.

So are you saying I shouldn’t answer a job for Greece advertised in a forum?

No, I’m saying you shouldn’t post your own details asking for a job. There’s nothing wrong with answering an ad from someone who says they have a job vacancy.

Do you know anyone who has gotten a summer job in Greece by leaving their name, phone number or e-mail in a forum?

No. Not a single person in the 11 years I’ve been here.

Everyone I know who got a summer job in Greece has applied to an ad by phone or showed up in person.

I know people who were promised jobs via e-mail or phone, but then showed up only to find the employer had hired someone else who was actually here in Greece. As there were no contracts or anything legally binding the employers to keep these promises, these people then had to find work somewhere else or go home. Most ended up going home when funds ran out because they had no backup plan or savings and had come too late to find anything else.

Is speaking English enough?

Sometimes, sometimes not.

Some hotels or bars with a predominantly English-speaking clientele don’t mind if you can’t speak another language, or if you’re applying for a position in which you have very little contact with customers. i.e. IT technician, barman taking orders only from waitresses who all speak English, DJ, etc.

Sometimes it’s helpful if you at least speak some Greek. Remember that Greeks go on vacation in summer as well, and they are not required to speak English in order to be in their own country.

Most people I know who got summer jobs in Greece very easily are multilingual. Nikos was hired immediately because he spoke German, and Kos is a popular destination for Germans. George speaks English, Greek and Italian and was hired immediately on Skiathos. I worked in Rhodes for a summer speaking mostly English, but sometimes Greek and French. The only person I know who didn’t speak another language and had no experience ever working in a bar/restaurant was a girl who had enormous bre@sts — you can draw your own conclusions from that.

Will a summer job come with accommodation?

There is a trend to not offer it anymore, but it really depends on what you find and if there is room to negotiate. Alex and I both had accommodation and food included with our jobs, but George and Nikos did not. Christy got food, but still had to pay for her own apartment.

Is it easier for women to find summer jobs in Greece?

Yes, especially if you are under 30 and attractive.

Some ads specifically state an age limitation because younger women are perceived to be more willing to accept certain conditions and lower pay, while also appealing to men of all ages.

Men find jobs too, so don’t be discouraged by this news.

I’m planning to be in Greece in June, can I still find a summer job?

Like I’ve said before, all of the good jobs are secured through connections or advertised and gone by April or May. But it’s not impossible if you’re not picky, don’t mind low wages and substandard conditions.

I encourage everyone to read:

1. Getting a summer job in Greece
2. One day on the island of Ios
3. Non-EU travelers need 50 euros a day
4. Overstaying a visa in Greece

* Further questions will not be answered at this time, as 20 were addressed above and based on the most popular ones I get. I am also not a job placement agency and have provided you with tools to help yourselves. Thank you.

A minimum monthly salary is guaranteed by law in the majority of EU countries, and a few are currently in negotiation to establish a pay scale.

Keep in mind that salary itself is not an indicator of quality of living, as cost of living and basic access to public services can vary widely according to gender, nationality and personal preferences within one country. See, “Salary vs. cost and quality of living in the EU” to get a fuller picture.

How the table was compiled

The Kathimerini ran an article on March 28 that stated the minimum gross salary for Greece was 626 euros, however it gave no source and I could not verify this data independently. It also stated that the EU average was 1160 euros, although it’s clear that this only applies to the so-called “Big 15″ and does not reflect an average for all 27 member states, as it would be considerably lower if it did.

Eurostat publishes stats every June for all countries that have a lawful minimum wage, so these are from 2007. The Federation of European Employers also provides stats on minimum monthly income on the most recent figures made available, ranging from 2007 to 2008. The table contains data from both organizations for comparison purposes. Neither organization took black market wages and illegal work into account.

How to read the table

Countries without a legal minimum wage are marked with an asterisk (*), and a monthly estimate is given based on sources embedded as a link, along with an explanation. These countries customarily negotiate collective agreements by sector on an annual basis, which unions must approve.

All figures are in gross, arranged in ascending order according to group and scaled to 12 months to calculate a monthly wage. e.g. Eurostat and FedEE took into account that workers in Austria, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece and Italy receive 14-16 payments per year and made calculations accordingly.

Please note that this is not an analysis, however there are other sources listed at the end of this post should you be interested.

Minimum monthly salaries of EU member states

More EU comparisons

To see other comparisons between EU countries, such as employment stats and ease of doing business, click “EU.”

Other Sources

“Cost of Living Hits European High in Greece, especially food items” — Kathimerini (published May 17, after my article was plagiarized on May 3)

Greece: Largest percentage of working poor - Kathimerini

Eurostat: Methodology for 2007 Income and Living Conditions

Greece: Second poorest in EU 15 and 23 percent live in poverty - Kathimerini

Highest share of low wage earners in job market: UK, Germany, Ireland, Greece and Netherlands - Metis Europe

Greece: Welfare policy worst in EU - Kathimerini

Income and Living Conditions - Eurostat

Minimum Social Standards Across Europe 2006 and Everyone Deserves a Decent Life - European Anti-Poverty Network

Learning Greek is key to finding a job in Greece, true or false? This is both true and false.

True

Speaking several languages, including the local one, will make you more attractive to an employer on paper and in person. It is good business sense to hire someone who can speak to everyone, rather than someone who is limited to communicating with only a few. Even employers offering summer jobs in tourist spots prefer people who are bilingual in Greek.

Reading, writing and speaking Greek will undoubtedly increase your chances of finding work, simply because the whole job market is open to you and make you more competitive. It will help you stay in your field and perhaps even get you a position on par with the level you attained back in your homeland, instead of settling for less.

Lastly, although being fluent or proficient in Greek does not guarantee you a higher salary, it gives you the power to negotiate a salary, rather than allowing your employer to use it as leverage to pay you less.

False

While learning Greek, even at a basic level, will help you in everyday activities and make your transition smoother without being dependent on others for help, I and several people I know can attest that it is not necessary in finding some jobs.

There are programmers/technicians at IT companies, secretaries at Greek and multinational companies, editors and proofreaders at publishing houses and ELT schools, tourist industry workers, administrators at universities, some teachers of English, personal assistants to Greek professionals — all of them do not speak Greek at a fluent or even basic level because their company has a UK, German, Spanish, American or otherwise non-Greek speaking clientele or industry focus.

A significant drawback is that the entire job market is not open to you, in fact you won’t even be able to read the majority of newspaper ads/classifieds without knowing some Greek. The good jobs for native speakers of another language without fluency in Greek have no turnover and come available once in a blue moon, only to be filled through connections or recommendations by relatives or friends without ever being advertised.

Vacancies that open up more often or continuously advertised in “foreigner” newspapers are usually less than desirable jobs with high turnover. There is a reason. These companies count on the fact there is a continuous supply of non-EU citizens who will work illegally, accept a lower salary, cannot demand IKA (insurance) and bonuses (Easter, summer and Christmas), work unpaid overtime and settle for being treated poorly or exploited in other ways out of fear of being fired or otherwise unemployed.

You may be fine with that as a means to stay here and support yourself, but your life and career will rarely advance beyond these “recycled” jobs into a more professional realm. Those who aren’t picky and enjoy routine and stability may find this just fine; others seeking growth and opportunity should know that your career will top out very quickly without connections.

And if you one day intend to return to your homeland or migrate to another country, a prospective employer may not be sympathetic about your job situation in Greece, and it will be difficult for you to regain the position you once held.

Contrary to popular belief that international experience is looked upon favorably, I’ve found that many multinational companies see you as unstable, unfocused or a flight risk (aka, you’ll leave again), unless the move abroad was for good reason — company transfer, family reasons or accepting a golden job opportunity with a recognized brand, institution or NGO. Many well-known job agencies I consulted in New York, Stockholm, Madrid and Miami say that it’s often better to leave this period off a CV if there is no significant or related experience to contribute, as it will only raise suspicion.

In Life

It is a widely held belief that most Greeks speak English and Greece caters to an English speaking population. That’s both true and false. In affluent areas, larger towns and areas frequented by tourists, many know some English, especially younger people. However, you will still find a lot of ATMs without the option for English even in big cities, 95 percent of bureaucratic forms are in Greek, and government Web sites offer slimmed down versions of their Greek counterpart. Further, public sector offices (dimos, eforia, nomarxeia, IKA, OAED, etc.) are staffed by people who will insist on speaking Greek, except in rare instances.

There are people who live here for years without bothering to learn Greek even at a basic level and do fine. They congregate with people speaking the same language or multilingual Greeks, manage OK at the grocery store and are dependent on a friend, girl/boyfriend, spouse, child or lawyer to do the translating and bureaucratic legwork for them. Greece remains a mysterious stranger to them.*

That’s fine, I suppose, but I’ve found that having even a basic command of Greek does wonders. With some grasp of the language, independence and confidence replace isolation and fear, knowledge chips away at ignorance, and closed doors inch open. You feel like a functioning adult again with a full life instead of a helpless child, and Greece feels more like home than a foreign country.

Learning Greek isn’t the easiest thing in the world, but it’s not the most difficult either.

* Getting familiar with Greece using wisdom from this site does not count as knowing something or having your own first-hand experience.

Jump start your job search

You can start your job search with the links I’ve provided in the third column by scrolling down to the heading “Jobs, Homes and Auto Ads in Greece” and clicking anything that interests you.

Many sites are bilingual with the best jobs usually listed in Greek.

Related posts

“Common jobs for Americans/non-EU citizens in Greece“

“Free Greek language lessons“

“Why don’t you speak Greek fluently?“

Getting a job in Greece is difficult enough for Greek job seekers with the predominance of cronyism, low salaries and suitable vacancies. Do those with non-Greek surnames also face discrimination as early as the CV?

Ethnic discrimination is common worldwide. The International Labor Office found it in Germany and Italy. It exists in countries considered progressive and gender balanced, such as Sweden where those who were older, unemployed or had a non-Nordic name received less contact; the UK, where racial prejudice in housing and the labour market was found as early as 1967; and the USA, where candidates with “black” sounding names and other minorities were eliminated from contention during résumé screening.

In a country where native Greek citizens are favored over repatriated Greek citizens from abroad, and xenophobia is on the rise, is it so hard to believe that ethnic discrimination exists here as well?

An onoma by any other

The only study on ethnic discrimination in the Greek labor market was done in 2006-2007 by Minas Vlassis and Nikos Drydakis, professors from the Department of Economics at the University of Crete.

In “Ethnic Discrimination in the Greek Labour Market: Occupational Access, Insurance Coverage, and Wage Offers,” CVs with equal education and experience, using addresses from comparable neighborhoods in Athens and similar hobbies and personal characteristics, were sent to the same firms at the same time. To homogenize characteristics by phone, a native Greek was used to answer calls for interviews and questions in both cases. The only difference was one candidate was named Ioannis Christou and the other Nikolai Dridanski.

Their findings revealed that Albanians face 43.5% net discrimination in access to employment, 36.5% lesser chance of being given IKA and a potential wage of 8.8% lower than Greeks, which is 5.3% below the legal minimum wage. When questioned directly, 84.4 percent of employers “put the blame” on profit strategies.

This corroborates a poll in which 88 percent of Greeks said they do not have a problem with immigrants in theory, but the same percentage believe they don’t deserve to be issued a work permit. In other words: “I don’t mind if you clean my house, landscape my yard, build my house and boost the economy, but forget about getting a fair wage and having rights.”

It also explains in part why only half of an estimated 1.2 million immigrants in Greece are legal, even though 70 percent have been here for five to eight years and are entitled to long-term EU-wide residence/work permits. Continuous insurance coverage is required to secure a permit and, of those who managed to apply and pay 150 euros each last year, 300,000 are waiting in a seemingly eternal “pending” file, with thousands being encouraged to apply even though municipal employees know they are ineligible. Greece gets to keep their money no matter what. That’s more than 45 million euros in cash for those keeping track, and the funds are not being used by immigrants as few rarely utilize public services, according to the National Statistic Service (NSS).

Certainly, migrant joblessness is low in comparison to unemployment amongst Greek citizens, but this is because immigrants do not live in a family home and cannot afford to be selective when and if a job is offered.

Important note

Please be clear. Greek employers that discriminate on first sight of names on a CV not only affects immigrants looking a job, but also those of Greek origin who do not use their Greek surname for reasons of marriage or personal choice.

Further, it is usually an indication of more discrimination to come.

* A future post will be a personal experience with discrimination based solely on my CV, an inadvertent experiment from 2003, and linked accordingly.

For related stories, see Jobs in Greece.

Special acknowledgment

Hat tip to MBE at the Mediterranean Migration Observatory for providing direction to two sources and sharing a personal account.

Related Sources

“Native-Immigrants Wage Differentials and Occupational Segregation in the Greek Labour Market” - Michalis Demousis, Nicholas Giannakopoulos and Stavros Zografakis

Immigrants, Migration and Discrimination (Greece)” — Migration Citizenship Education

“Migrant Integration Policy Index (Greece)” — Sponsored by the EU, British Council

“Ethnic Discrimination in the Greek Rental Market” — Nick Drydakis (related Athens News article)

“2007: Year of Immigration Reform” — Athens News